Oxford Girl- Betty Lee Jones (AR) 1960 Parler L
[Ozark Folk Song Collection- online; Reel 355, Item 18, Collected by Mary Celestia Parler Transcribed by Nathaniel Lucy.
Listen: http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/4234/rec/18
R. Matteson 2106]
L. "Oxford Girl." Sung by Betty Lee Jones Fayetteville, Arkansas January 14, 1960. Betty Lee Jones: My name is Betty Lee Jones and I’m from - - - Arkansas and I learned this song from my mother Mrs. - - - Jones, who learned it from her mother.
Twas in the town of Oxford
I used to live and roam
Twas in the town of Oxford
I run a flour mill.
I fell in love with an Oxford girl
With dark and glowing eyes
I asked her if she’d marry me
And be my wedded bride
I asked her to take a walk with me
Over the meadows bright and gay
And be my fair - - -
And appoint our wedding day
We walked along and talked along
Til we came to a level ground
Then picking up a [hedgewood] stick
I knocked this fair maid down
While falling on her bended knee
“Oh Lord have mercy!” she cried
“Oh Willy dear don’t hurt me here
For I’m not prepared to die.”
I hear not a word she said
I beat her more and more
I beat her til the ground
all around Was bloody by the [gore].
I picked her up, I yelled “Oh Lord!”
I strung her 'round and 'round
I drug her through the waterbed
And threw her in to drown.
I then got home about twelve that night
My mother was dreadful with fright
“Oh Willy dear- [forgotten]